Eldoret court issues second warrant of arrest for suspect linked to Sh12 million jobs scam in North Rift

The suspect Joseph Kipkemboi Keino when he appeared in court

A court in Eldoret has issued a second warrant of arrest against a businessman accused of masterminding a Sh12 million overseas jobs scam.

Joseph Kipkemboi Keino was charged with defrauding 18 unsuspecting job seekers after allegedly promising to secure them employment abroad.

He however failed to appear in court for the mention of his case, prompting Principal Magistrate Kesse Cherono to issue a fresh warrant for his arrest.

Kipkemboi was expected to confirm whether he had begun refunding the victims, as earlier directed by the court.

Last year, he committed to making an initial payment of Sh500,000 by December after being allowed to negotiate a settlement with the complainants out of court.

He had engaged with the victims in September 2024 when he first appeared before court. However, when the matter came up for mention on Monday, neither Kipkemboi nor his lawyer was present. The prosecution applied for a warrant of arrest, which the court granted.

“I direct that the suspect be arrested and brought before court,” the magistrate ruled.

Also facing trouble is a man who stood surety for Kipkemboi when he was released on bond.

The guarantor had deposited his land title deed with the court to secure Kipkemboi’s release.

The magistrate summoned the guarantor to appear in court on February 9, to explain the whereabouts of the accused.

The prosecution informed the court that Kipkemboi has switched off all his mobile phones and efforts to trace him have been unsuccessful.

Lawyer Edwin Ruto, representing the victims, said the suspect had not issued any instructions to his advocate despite knowing the matter was scheduled for mention.

Kipkemboi is accused of obtaining more than Sh12 million by false pretences between March and July 2024, allegedly collecting between Sh300,000 and Sh1.8 million from each victim. He is said to have promised jobs in Qatar and Australia, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Kipkemboi first appeared in court in September 2024, denied all charges, and was released on a Sh3 million bond without an option of cash bail.

His co-accused, Jael Jepkoech, is reported to have fled to Qatar three years ago and remains at large. Police have since sought the assistance of Interpol through a court order to trace and extradite her to face the charges.

Kipkemboi had previously gone into hiding but was re-arrested and presented in court following the issuance of a warrant of arrest. The same court later reinstated his Sh3 million bond after he sought forgiveness and committed to refunding the money allegedly obtained from the job seekers.

The case will be mentioned on February 9, 2026.